Why Engagement Sessions are ESSENTIAL

February 9, 2017

“Our spot.” The thought still sounded strange in his mind… but he liked it. Her head gently resting against his chest, he couldn’t imagine wanting to be anywhere else. Just a few weeks earlier they’d been right here. The same gazebo, overlooking the same lake, under the same canopy of leafless trees. That entire day still danced around in his mind like a wisp of a dream. As hard as he tried, he still couldn’t even remember the exact words he had used…

But that was inconsequential now. This was their spot forevermore. Although the lights and pictures he’d hung were no longer all around, she would never forget them. The perfect representation of all they’d been through together. Their story.

He takes a deep breathe and smiles down at her. His future wife. How did I get so lucky? A role model he couldn’t have possibly deserved. Yet she was to be his. Bringing her face to his, he lightly nuzzles her nose into his own, laughing at the silliness of the action. Them sitting together on a bench just snuggling and kissing as if it were the most natural thing in the world. She places her ringed finger on his chest as he draws her in for a long kiss. Something he hopes they’ll do a good many times during their future together.

A cold breeze interrupts their embrace. Laughter erupts as he draws her ever closer to himself. She closes her eyes, content with just being close. No amount of chill would stir her to go anywhere else. She’s here with him. Us.

There’s a wedding to plan, but for today, this moment is all he needs. Guests can be invited tomorrow. Cakes can be tasted next week. Plans can be planned in their due time.

He smiles, content.

One day when I get engaged, I hope that this is how my engagement photography will feel. Natural. Fun. Completely and totally… right.

Today, I want to write about a few reasons that I think the engagement session is one of the most important parts of a wedding process, and actually might be my favorite part of the whole thing!

1. The Reason For It All

I truly believe that photography is about more than images. Of course the images are important, and the craft of it must be harnessed and perfected, but I have found that there is an immense amount of meaning that can be found behind what all kind of photographers do! There’s a higher purpose that we so often overlook in the name of “just fulfilling a job.”

To me, photography is about growing people, and this notion applies to all forms of photography. Whether it’s a senior photographer who finds ways to empower her subjects towards self-confidence, or family photographers that make a space where the bonds of family can most easily be enhanced, we offer a service so much deeper than “beautiful pictures.”
Why do I do wedding/engagement photography? I do it because I love drawing couples closer together. If I can just create a two hour window where a couple can be COMPLETELY in love with each other without having to worry about “what people will think,” then I have succeeded!!! I make creating good images an automatic habit so that I can focus my attention on giving couples reasons to become even more enthralled with one another.
What better time to do this then when a couple first gets engaged? They are about to get married, and with that comes an entire world of challenges. At every available point, I think it’s wise to be growing towards love.

2. Engagement Sessions Remove the “Awkwards”

On a different note, the engagement is important because it helps to remove all the CPAs from your wedding day. You know? Client-Photographer Awkwards. It happens almost every time without fail. Between any photographer-client pair, the first twenty minutes are going to seem kind of strange. That’s completely natural. You are not used to working with this particular photographer, and he’s not used to working with you.

It’s MUCH better to get this out of the way BEFORE your wedding day, so that when you take twenty minutes away from your reception to get some images done with the sunset, the things you do feel completely natural.

3. Their Versatile Little Images

Think about it! You’re about to get married!!! Which means that soon you’ll need pictures for a BUNCH of stuff. Soon you’ll be sending out save-the-dates. Everyone expects you to have a new profile picture. Then, of course you’ll need images to post on Instagram to prove to everyone that YES, the Facebook announcement was real. And, once the day FINALLY comes when you get to call yourselves spouses, you’ll need pictures to fill your home for the years to come. The images made during the engagement are not just “pictures” that everyone gets done… No… They are the recording of a joyful time in your relationship when you were first starting this new journey together.

4. Snuggling is Fun

Simply put, who doesn’t love to get really close to someone they love and just snuggle?

For all the reasons listed above, many photographers don’t even charge for this part of the process. It’s just SUCH an important time in a couple’s journey. To us photographers, it’s so important that we just want to be there to record it.